


It's Not Just Where You Lay Your Head

by ErikaWilliams



Series: Mutually Pining Idiots [4]
Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: Angst, Cuddling & Snuggling, Fluff, M/M, Mid-story spoilers, Night Terrors, Sharing a Bed, Sharing a Lounge Chair, Sleep Deprivation, mutually pining idiots
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-21
Updated: 2018-01-21
Packaged: 2019-03-07 21:10:52
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,425
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13443468
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ErikaWilliams/pseuds/ErikaWilliams
Summary: Set after the Naga incident.Prompto’s eyes focused on him as he followed Gladio’s instructions.  “Good.  Again.”  Prompto took another deep breath, and the shaking started to subside.  He still had the look of a frightened housecat, but at least he was starting to recognize he was somewhere safe.  “And one more time for me,” he said, keeping his hand on Prompto’s cheek so he was forced to look at him.  Prompto did as he was told, eyes staring wide and his breath was warm on Gladio’s wrist as he exhaled.





	It's Not Just Where You Lay Your Head

**Author's Note:**

> I wrote myself some self-indulgent fluff.... angst... fluffangst... flangst, if you will.
> 
> I really need to stop naming all my fics after song lyrics. And I should start a mutually pining idiots collection.

It took an embarrassingly long time for Gladio to realize that the little moans he was hearing were not a product of his subconscious, but were, in fact, very real and coming from the man laying in the bed next to him. As he blinked his eyes open to stare at the resort ceiling, the events of the last few days came back into focus. First, there had been the rune stones, and then they had to steal the Regalia back from the Empire. Noct had insisted after that long stretch without any sleep that they make the drive to Galdin Quay and rest in some style.

 

Of course, having all been awake for so long, they had all but collapsed once they had checked into the room. Prompto didn’t even make his usual complaints about the sleeping arrangements. He had just waited for his turn in the shower and was fast asleep by the time Gladio stretched out in the bed next to him. In fact, he had been uncharacteristically quiet the past couple of days, a welcome change that he had chocked up to the strain of being up for five nights in a row. They had a brief chance to rest before they liberated the Regalia, but he knew that none of them had really slept. The resort was supposed to be a luxury they could all enjoy, but it would seem that some of them were not getting the peaceful slumber they all deserved.

 

He rolled over onto his side so he could face Prompto. From what he could tell, Prompto was still asleep, unaware that he was making those pitiful little sounds and shaking in the bed.

 

“Prompto?” he asked quietly, but he got no response. Most likely he was having a night terror brought on by the lack of sleep and the trauma he had endured with the snake. Waking him could be hazardous, given that Prompto could summon weapons from thin air, but he didn’t think it was right to let him ride it out alone either. He thought Prompto mumbled something about that snake.

 

He pulled his arm free from the confines of the blanket and wrapped it around Prompto’s thin frame, trying to pull him closer without making him feel like he was smothering him. He was hoping at the very least, it would help to still Prompto’s shaking, Or maybe a familiar presence would help to dispel the nightmare.

 

It accomplished neither, and Prompto let out a particularly loud whine that was sure to carry to the next bed if not into the next room.

 

“He’s going to wake Noct,” Ignis said grumpily from the other bed. Well, that meant two of them were already up, and it wasn’t like Prompto was getting any rest.

 

“What? Can’t all four of us be miserable?” he growled lowly over his shoulder. Prompto whined again, and Gladio put his hand up in Prompto’s hair. It was softer than he expected, given all the product he had been certain that Prompto wore. Short of gagging him, he didn’t think there was much else he could do for him to keep him from waking Noct.

 

“Noct has a terrible responsibility the rest of us can’t even begin to imagine,” Ignis shot back, keeping his voice low pitched. “He needs his rest.” So did the rest of them, but that didn’t mean they had to take it out on each other.

 

“Listen, this whole resort could sink right now, and Noct still would sleep right through it,” he said, instinctively carding his fingers through Prompto’s hair. It was relaxing him, even though it didn’t seem to be doing anything for Prompto. He seemed just as agitated now as he had been when Gladio had awoken.

 

“Can’t you do something for him?” Ignis asked him from the other bed. He didn’t realize that bed sharing duty meant he was responsible for Prompto in his sleep. If that was the case, he wanted to trade, even though he knew Ignis would never go for that.

 

“I’ve been trying,” he said. He was out of options unless he wanted to crush Prompto against him which might be just as dangerous as waking him. Prompto lashed out, his foot catching him in the shin and fist connecting with his stomach and he grunted.

 

“Try taking him outside,” Ignis suggested. “Perhaps the fresh air will help calm him and remind him that he’s not in that cave.”

 

He untangled himself from Prompto and stood up between the beds. Ignis beat him to the balcony door to open it for them. Prompto was still shaking, so it took some work, but he finally managed to pick Prompto up with the blanket still wrapped around him. He carried him carefully through the door, and heard Ignis close it behind them. Well, at least this way they, wouldn’t have to worry about waking Noct.

 

He somehow managed to make his way over to the lounge chair without tripping over the trailing blanket. He sat down in the chair, keeping Prompto in his lap. Prompto was still shaking and moaning again and definitely still sleeping. He supposed there wasn’t much else he could do for him, except let him ride it out on his own. He tightened his grip around him only enough to keep him from falling off his lap and hitting his head.

 

If only he could block out those frightened noises, which was probably half of the reason Ignis had suggested the balcony. Prompto was squirming a lot more than he had been, and with a scream, his eyes shot open. Ignis had miscalculated, and Prompto didn’t recognize that he was no longer in the caves as he stared blankly out at the ocean, eyes darting around for something familiar.

 

“Hey, look at me,” he said, cupping Prompto’s cheek and turning his face towards him. His eyes were still wide with fear, and he didn’t seem to be comprehending yet that he was safe. At least he hadn’t brought out the guns. Prompto’s gaze didn’t quite focus on him before he started looking to the side again, like he was looking for that damn snake. Or for a sea serpent to come out of the water and take him into the dark depths with it. “Stay with me, Prompto,” he said, gently but firmly tilting his head back towards him so Prompto was forced to look him in the eyes. “Just take a deep breath,” he instructed before demonstrating, hoping it would have a calming effect on Prompto’s shaking body.

 

Prompto’s eyes focused on him as he followed Gladio’s instructions. “Good. Again.” Prompto took another deep breath, and the shaking started to subside. He still had the look of a frightened housecat, but at least he was starting to recognize he was somewhere safe. “And one more time for me,” he said, keeping his hand on Prompto’s cheek so he was forced to look at him. Prompto did as he was told, eyes staring wide and his breath was warm on Gladio’s wrist as he exhaled.

 

“Gladio?” he asked, and Gladio tilted Prompto’s head back a little further, exposing the bare expanse of his neck.

 

“Yeah?” It would be wrong of him to take advantage of the situation while Prompto was clearly not in his right mind. Wrong, even if he was entranced by Prompto’s tongue darting out to lick his lips.

 

“Why are we on the balcony?”

 

Gladio took his hand away from Prompto’s face and dropped it to his side before Prompto could ask him about that. He didn’t have any good answers for that one. “You were having a nightmare, and we thought the fresh air might do you some good.”

 

“Can you blame me?” Prompto said, wrapping his arms around his torso. “That snake thing was terrifying. It snatched me away and I thought I was going to die.” Prompto looked back over his shoulder. “What about sea serpents? What if one of those comes out of the water and snatches me away, dragging me down into its watery abode?”

 

He was losing Prompto again, way faster than he would have liked. All he needed was for him to have another panic attack. “Prompto, listen to me. As long as I’m around, nothing is going to snatch you away again.”

 

“As long as you’re around?”

 

He may have said too much. He didn’t want Prompto to be worrying about something else now when all he had wanted to do was comfort him. Take his mind off that stupid snake for at least long enough for him to get a good night’s rest.

 

“That’s what I said.” He wrapped his arm around Prompto, yanking him close until Prompto’s head was resting on his chest. “So get some rest. Nothing will get you here.” Prompto made a disgruntled noise, but he didn’t try to pull away from him. As long as he wasn’t thinking about the snake anymore. Maybe all of them could get some sleep.

 

“Shouldn’t we go back inside?” Prompto mumbled and he conceded that maybe he had a point. They would both probably be more comfortable in a bed, where they wouldn’t be squashed together on this lounge chair. And they would both have a pillow, instead of Prompto using his chest.

 

Gladio lifted his head to look inside the hotel room.. Ignis had gone back to bed, but instead of cozying back up with Noct, had sprawled out in their vacated bed. Well played. He was willing to bet that the door was locked as well. All so Ignis could have his own bed.

 

“Sorry, Prompto,” he said settling back down and trying to pretend Prompto’s disappointed whimper had nothing to do with being stuck on a single lounge chair with him. “Looks like Iggy has no intention of letting us back in.”

 

“Are you sure this is alright?” Prompto asked from where his head was rested against his chest.

 

“It’s fine,” he grunted in response. Sure, both his legs would probably be asleep within an hour or two, and his back was probably going to be killing him in the morning, but its not like he expected Ignis to let them back in. “It’s not like you weigh that much.”

 

“No, dude, I meant because I can totally feel your boner right now.”

 

Oh. Right. That. Prompto’s squirming certainly was not helping the situation. “Well, you woke me from a good dream,” he said, hoping Prompto would get comfortable soon or else he would have some serious explaining to do.

 

Prompto stilled for a moment and he could see the gears turning in his head. At least he wasn’t squirming anymore. “What were you dreaming about?” Prompto asked in a small voice.

 

 _You._ It was what he wanted to say, it was what he should have said. But if Prompto didn’t feel that way about him, it was going to make sleeping on that lounge chair together very awkward. Or he could just volunteer to throw himself into the ocean.

 

“That snake snatched you again and gobbled you up. It was real nice having that bed all to myself.”

 

“Dude, that’s not funny,” Prompto said, pushing himself up with one hand on Gladio’s chest. He tried to think of something besides the heat Prompto’s hand coaxed out of him.. Think of the snake. Prompto suddenly seemed very fascinated by his fingers splayed out across Gladio’s skin.

 

“Do you want me to um-” Prompto started, curling his fingers against Gladio’s chest then splaying them out again. “Ah-” Was it his imagination or was Prompto’s hand getting lower? “-nhn-” He was certainly having trouble looking Gladio in the eye.

 

Yes. Six, yes. He didn’t even care how Prompto was going to finish that question, the answer was going to be yes.

 

“-knock on the door and see if Iggy will let us back in?” Prompto finished weakly, pulling his hand away from Gladio’s chest and putting it in his own lap.

 

He would be lying if he tried to tell himself that he wasn’t disappointed. Although perhaps it was for the best given that they were on a hotel balcony. Besides, why do something that might ruin their friendship?

 

“No,” he said, trying to keep his disappointment in check. “There’s no telling what he’ll do to us if we wake him or the prince.” The two of them would just have to make do with the lounge chair. The night was cool with a nice breeze coming off the water, but even if they did get too cold, Prompto still had the blanket half wrapped around him.

 

Gladio reached behind him to pull free the pillow that had been on the chair when he sat down. “Scotch down a bit,” he told Prompto who obliged, pulling the blanket tighter around his shoulders. He put the pillow on his lap, trying to keep his mind focused on anything else, and spread his legs so Prompto could fit between them.

 

“Come here,” he invited him back up. It had been a long couple of days, and he was looking forward to going back to sleep. Prompto looked at him warily for a moment, clutching the edge of the blanket tighter.

 

“I’m not going to be able to sleep until I know you’re going to be alright.” Mostly because he worried about him thrashing about until he flopped right into the ocean.

 

Prompto hesitated a moment longer before he stretched back out on the lounge chair, safely tucked between his legs and his head barely touching Gladio’s stomach. Prompto kept himself tucked into the blanket like a burrito.

 

“Blanket hog,” he teased, nudging him in the lower back with his knee, and Prompto’s whole body rocked. “Try to relax.”

 

“I’m trying,” Prompto said, pulling the blanket tighter around himself. “Are you sure this okay?”

 

“I told you, nothing else is going to snatch you away while I’m around,” he said, wrapping his arm around Prompto’s quaking shoulders. He had woken up enough for him to start thinking about it again. Gradually, Prompto’s breathing evened out and he could feel the tension seeping out of his muscles until he was lax in his arms. And Prompto was drooling a little bit, but Gladio was too afraid to move in case he woke him. He wasn’t sure when it happened, but eventually he fell asleep as well.

 

~*~*~

 

Noct stretched out in the bed, not surprised when he didn’t run into someone. Ignis usually woke before he did and was out of bed and providing breakfast by the time he got around to rolling out of bed. He looked over to the other bed to see Ignis sitting on the edge of the bed, sipping his coffee. Which meant they were two members short. If Ignis was calmly sipping coffee, they couldn’t have gone too far. Maybe they went out for an early morning run. Couple of weirdos.

 

“Morning,” he said with a yawn, sitting up in the bed and scratching the back of his head.

 

“Good morning.”

 

“Where are Gladio and Prompto?”

 

“Out on the balcony.”

 

He looked past Ignis, out the glass doors, expecting to see the two of them enjoying the morning air, chatting about whatever it was they talked about when they went off on their own. He thought they would have run out of conversation starters by now. He did not expect to see the two of them sleeping on the lone lounge chair, Prompto half on top of Gladio. Hadn’t there been two chairs out there when they checked in?

 

“You made them sleep on the balcony?”

 

“I did no such thing. The door has been unlocked all night.” Clearly the two of them had not known that, or else they would have come back inside and slept in comfy beds. “I’m guessing since they two of them preferred to stay out there all night, a confession or two might have been made.”

 

Noct looked from his two friends on the balcony to Ignis then back to the other two. “I doubt it. Gladio’s constructed a pillow barrier on his crotch.” Ignis made a small noise of disapproval into his coffee. For his part, Noct was mostly glad that he would not have to be explaining to hotel staff why two of their party were sleeping nude on the balcony. “Did you ever stop to consider that you might just be wrong about those two?” he asked as he studied them through the glass. He didn’t seen anything unusual about what was going on. The two of them were both notorious sleep cuddlers, which was a large part of why they got thrown in the same bed during their hotel visits.

 

“I highly suggest you reconsider that statement, Noct,” Ignis warned him darkly.

 

“Okay,” he said, not wanting to push the issue further. He thought that pillow contradicted most of what Ignis had been suggesting since shortly after the road trip began, but he preferred his food unburnt and vegetable free. “Maybe next time you should just give them their own hotel room.” No, that was a bad idea. They would never be able to afford two rooms at this place. “Or make them stay at the caravan.” It had been rather nice to wake up in a bed all by himself for a change. Best night sleep he had had in a long time.

 

`*~*~*

 

“Noct is watching us through the windows,” Prompto said sleepily from where his head was still resting on Gladio’s chest. Gladio had been hoping for a few more moments of peace, the sun having woken him already while he rubbed his hand in slow circles on Prompto’s back. But if Noct was up, Ignis would get them all ready to go far too soon.

 

“Let him watch,” Gladio said without opening his eyes. He ran his foot casually up the inside of Prompto’s leg, stopping at the knee. He could always chalk it up to being sleep deprived if Prompto brought it up later. “Princess got a good night’s sleep. The least he can do is give us a few extra minutes.”

 

Prompto sighed, his breath warm against his bare skin. Actually, the least Noct could was was wait until they got up before he bothered them. He just needed a few more minutes before he went back inside and checked his phone to see if Cor had gotten back to him yet. Right now, though, he just wanted to enjoy the moment and revel in the fact that Prompto was safe. Prompto shifted his position, wrapping his arm around Gladio’s middle. Normally, he would do something about that, but he figured Prompto had a rough couple of days. They all had.

 

“So when are you leaving us?” Prompto asked him softly without lifting his head.

 

“What makes you think I’m leaving?” he said, his hand stilling on Prompto’s back.

 

“Usually when we wake tangled up in each other like this you waste no time in pushing me out of the bed.” Maybe that was true, but it was mostly because he was tired of the smug looks Ignis gave him in the mornings. “And last night you said as long as you were around.” Damn it, he knew Prompto had picked up on that, but he was hoping that the terror and the ensuing night’s sleep would have pushed it from his mind. “So… when are you leaving?”

 

He hadn’t really worked out the fine details of that plan. Most of it hinged on whatever message Cor sent back to him. He didn’t want to think about that right now, or for the rest of the day as far as that went.

 

“Don’t worry about it,” Gladio told him which wasn’t technically lying.

 

“Will you at least tell me where you’re going?”

 

“I never said I was going anywhere.”

 

“If you say so, Big Guy,” Prompto said, but made no effort to budge. Before he could offer up a counter argument, Prompto pulled out a camera and a flash went off above his head.

 

“What the hell was that?” he growled, debating whether or not he could get away with dumping Prompto into the ocean. It really wasn’t that far to shore.

 

“Insurance,” Prompto said before making the camera disappear. “If you don’t come back, this picture will go viral.”

 

“What if I don’t come back because I’m dead?”

 

“Then this picture will be on your obituary. So you better do your best not to die.”


End file.
